Do Something

 I am a semi-professional baker who relies on the income I derive from this part time  job to help sustain myself.  Although my expenses are small compared to a professional baker, I have empathy for the professional baker whose income has been greatly reduced during this Covid-19 pandemic.  Many professional bakers and bake shop owners still have fixed expenses that they are unable to meet, such as rent, electricity and payroll, and their diminished income leaves them on the brink of financial doom, or bankruptcy.  I will continue to be open about the hardships faced by small business, and more specifically by bakeries because of my close affiliation with them.

One role of a responsible government and our elected officials is to protect their constituents and community from the negative impact of societal tragedies like this pandemic.  When other tragedies befall us, the government takes action, so this pandemic should be no different than events such as missiles being fired at civilian populations or the afflictions of drug abuse.  Governmental and elected officials act on those tragedies to protect citizens, and they should similarly act on behalf of citizens when faced with the economic tragedy which accompanied the pandemic.  The economic difficult situation of a small businessperson is no less important than other tragedies that society is faced with.  This should not and cannot be ignored.

I am raising my voice about the neglect of our leadership in assisting the small businessperson because so many of them have lost their entire life savings and the only means they have to support their families.  Our elected officials have a secure source of livelihood and income, but they must also feel the pain and stress of the business owners who do not have the same level of economic security.  It is through no fault of their own that their businesses have suffered.  An effective and compassionate government must offer solutions so these businesses can continue to operate and get past this pandemic.

I have witnessed the suffering of the small businessperson. For so many years they have paid taxes as responsible citizens do.  Now they rightfully feel that it is time for the government to assist them with funds to sustain them and their businesses during the pandemic.  Unfortunately, they have been abandoned.  Many business owners have either received insufficient  sums from the government, or no funding at all to assist them.  Some have gone further into debt; some have closed the doors of their beloved businesses forever. 

It is readily apparent that our elected officials have neglected our small business owners.  It is also obvious that governmental support for large industry is politically motivated.  The weight and influence of “big business” and executives carries far more economic and political clout than the “mom and pop” businesses, but that by no means allows our elected officials to override their responsibility to protect all of its citizens, even the vulnerable small business owners.  This issue should be of the utmost importance to the entire community.  If we are not there for the businesses that are part of our community, then they will not be there for us when we need them.  To show them that we care and to offer moral support, we should continue to support these small businesses and use our voices to make sure that our elected officials know that their position on supporting small business owners will be remembered when it is the next time to vote.

https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/05/our-government-is-failing-small-businesses-a-bakery-struggles-to-stay-open-and-then-some-good-news.html